gvns8

I have my xj dropped off to have the pinion bearings replaced. The shop is telling me the ring and pinion need to be replaced due to the backlash being off. Does this sound right? I cracked it open-no teeth looked damaged.

knuckleduster271

Were the gears worn unevenly? Why did you have them replace the bearings? What was it doing? Did you have the gears set up wrong in it? How long did you drive it with the symptoms?

gvns8

Well I bought the jeep with the axle howling. The previous owner probably drove with it like that for a year. I assumed it was the pinion bearing and backlash so I brought it in to get the bearings replaced. The gears were probably set up wrong so by having then replace the bearings, I figured they would have to reset the backlash after with the adjuster wheel. Well it turns out they said the backlash was way off beyond the point where they could adjust it so they said I would need a new ring an pinion. This sounds right to me now that I did some research, but what do you think?

freegdr

why are the bearings being replaced,is it the stock rear axle never been touched

freegdr

it would be cheaper to get a used rear axle probally

gvns8

Well, its a somewhat built 8.25 with yukon 4.56 gears, a detroit ez locker, and 29 spline alloy shafts. Total cost for the work is about:

$100 bearing masterkit
$195 4.56 Ring and Pinion
$200 Labor/oil

freegdr

get the gears replaced along with all bearing if you hear any noises dont let them tell you it will go away after breakin period ,this repair should be done by serious mechanics it take a good geart guy to do this

knuckleduster271

Sounds believable to me. I would replace the gears just for peace of mind if I were you. It would suck to waste the money on labor to have to turn around and do it all over again. I honestly wouldnt spend the extra $$ on yukons myself, Motives are just as good (imo) but alot cheaper. How is the ez locker working out for you? I know they had alot of problems with them in toyotas. I had the chance to score one pretty cheap but passed on it due to the negative publicity but maybe it was just a design flaw for the 7.5" toyota diffs only.

SeriousOffroad

Sounds like B.S. to me.

Backlash is easy to set on an 8.25. There aren't any shims, just adjusters.

I really wish you hadn't taken your rig "there."

gvns8

Yea its definitely a lesson learned. I am assuming the PO got it done by some random shop that never bothered to set the backlash, so that is probably why it is so far off, but there is no way for me to verify how far off the backlash really was. Is it true what the shop (4WP's) said about the backlash only being adjustable to a certain extent?

I really wanted to bring it to you Frank, but don't have a place to keep the jeep if I pulled the axle since I know you would rather me pull the axle.

This seriously makes me glad that I have learned how to do everything else thus far on my own though and done all my own work on my jeep- I have a shop to use too so its worth it to do it myself and do it right without having to just hope that they are being honest. Here is a picture of the gears the last time I checked them out- as you can all see- they don't look too bad, and no metal shavings at the bottom.

SeriousOffroad

No, it's not true.

gvns8

Wow they could have just told me the wear was improper, which is believable, but why make up the part about the backlash being only adjustable in a certain range. Haha well I hope they are happy they made an extra $50 in labor and $200 from parts off of me... because its definitely the last time they will see money from me again.

You know the funniest part is they tried to tell me I had a dana 35 at first over the phone and I had to argue them into realizing it was a 8.25. It turned out they were working on some other guys cherokee thinking it was mine! After opening up the differential on this other guys cherokee, they even told me the carrier bearings were bad, when this other cherokee wasn't even in the shop for axle problems, but for suspension related work. What a joke

freegdr

looking at these pics id say put my truck back together and pay them for there time and find a nother mechanic

Cnwxj

I wouldn't darken the doorway at 4wp. They are parts hangers, and pad the crap out of their tickets. My friend took his ram charger to them for a re-gear. He has been there every other week since. And they always find something else wrong. They may not all be this way, but mine sucks. Anyway, I have an 8.25 in mine and I know from experience getting that setup right is a pain. Good luck!

flyingstick

years ago (read 27), Chrysler bearings in the 8.25 were horrible. I must have replaced a hundred carrier bearings without doing the pinion. I never replaced the pinion bearings on one. They may have needed it but...I was young and they weren't making noise. My point is this...there is so much room for adjustment on an 8.25 that I could always re adjust and get the whine out. But $200 labor isn't bad. Here the going price for labor is $400 for a R&P replace (that's just labor).